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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 December 2023

The Boys in the Boat is the latest directorial effort from George Clooney.  I recently had a chance to speak to star Joel Edgerton about the project…

Matt:  The Boys in the Boat is an incredible story. Did you know about it all before being approached for the project?

Joel:  I didn’t know a single thing until they came to me.  I then read the book and script in quick succession.  I do remember thinking it was an incredible true story that was perfectly built for a movie.  If you’re an American rower you might know it but it makes you wonder how many great sports stories there are you’ve never heard about until a book or movie comes along.

Matt:  I got a bit of Seabiscuit vibe from the film in that it was part of the Great Depression. What is it about the power of the sport that has a way of uniting so many people and lifting their spirits?

Joel:  I think you’ve nailed it.  Sport is a great unifier and it puts our brains in a different headspace.  We are able to dissolve differences.  We’re brought together in the common support of a local, state, or national team and it’s something we felt potently recently with the Matildas.  The whole country was in a fervor and it’s a good reminder that our natural spirit is to galvanise and be together.

Matt:  Your character has a mix of toughness, compassion, and vulnerability. How did you settle on the right way to play him?

Joel:  There were a couple of clues in the script about Al Ulbrickson being somebody who rarely smiled.  That drew my attention to the sort of coach who looks really stressed about what they do and seems to derive very little joy from the job.  They care so much and they’re so determined to win that it looks like they’re being driven to an early grave.

I then started thinking about coaches as fathers.  It’s how I used to think about older male figures who were coaches when I played sport.  They’re like a quasi-dad in that you’re wanting to please them and work harder so they’re proud of you.  While those coaches seem tough and impenetrable, there is a warmth and a love underneath.

Matt:  The rowers would have gone through physical training but was there stuff you had to learn about the sport to help prep for the part as coach?

Joel:  I’d do a little bit of single skull rowing but I just liked watching the guys training the boys.  I saw how observant the coaches were.  They were looking at this “floating centipede” on the water but they could see someone’s wrist was in the wrong position or someone’s posture was throwing out the rhythm of the boat.  It showed how incredibly sharp and focused the coaches needed to make things work better.

Matt:  Callum Turner is great in the lead but I like some of the interplay you have with Luke Slattery’s character in getting him to helm the boat. How did you see the relationship between your character and his?

Joel:  I love the idea of the cox being someone who can undermine the coach because he’s the one in the boat calling the shots.  I think Luke is extraordinary.  The moment he arrives in the film, he breathes new life into it as a cocky, self-assured kid.  I also liked the antagonism there.

It was a challenge for those involved to condense this story and capture the lives of all these people in the space of one movie.  This could also be a great TV series where you’ve got time to get under the skin of all the boys but we’re mainly focusing on watching this story through the eyes of Joe Rantz and while some of the guys have only a little moment, they’re all incredible.

Matt:  You’re working alongside another actor-turned-director in George Clooney. Was there anything in particular you learned from his directorial approach?

Joel:  I liked how selfless he was in the process.  He would be the most high-profile person on his set and he’s put aside a year of his life to make this movie when he could be off making a lot of money acting in a couple of big movies.  Something about this story captured his imagination to put aside the time and stand behind the camera to get it made.

He did his research and homework very well, and was organized in terms of how to shoot the film.  All the while, he kept a fun set and light atmosphere which made it so enjoyable.  When you’re away from home and putting in long hours, you hope you can have a good experience along the way.  We were able to do that thanks to him.

Matt:  It feels like you’re wearing a three-piece suit for almost the entire film. How did you find the costuming of that era?

Joel:  Jenny Eagan designed the costumes and collaborates with George Clooney a lot.  She’s excellent.  All the elements of this film fit together well – the cinematography, production design, and costume design are all exquisite.

I felt like I was stepping into the shoes of one of my grandfathers.  When I first saw a photo of Al Ulbrickson, he looks uncannily like my Dutch grandfather.  I sound like I’m talking to a fashion magazine but I love this era for the fashion and clothes of it.  It was very cool and I felt comfortable.

Matt:  What are you working on at the moment? What will we see from you next?

Joel:  I’m just coming out of the strike where I haven’t worked for 7-8 months.  I’ve been putting my head down and planning for the future.  I was involved as a producer on Boy Swallows Universe which comes out in January, and I have a documentary I helped produced called Daughters which is going to Sundance.  It’s about a dance with daughters and their fathers in a prison in Washington DC. 

I’m hoping to direct something in late 2024 which I’ve written and I’m very excited to get back into the director’s chair.  I’ve got twins who are going be 3 years old soon and once they’re at school, I’ll feel safer going to direct a movie.  I just haven’t had the brain space, time or capacity until now.  I’ve really embraced the silver lining of the strike by being with family.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 December 2023

I saw 191 cinema releases during the 2023 calendar year and, as I’ve done every year since 1996 (time flies), I like to put together a list which outlines my favourites.  My prior year top 10 lists can be found here.

We’ve all got different tastes but hopefully the list inspires others to hunt down these movies and watch something great they may otherwise have missed.  I went this through this list on ABC Brisbane breakfast radio a couple of weeks ago.

Honourable mentions this year which I couldn’t quite squeeze into my top 10 were – Till, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Talk to Me, Shayda, Women Talking, Driving Madeleine, Godzilla Minus One, Oink, Saim Omer, EO, Maestro, and Barbie.

The above films are all worth a look but to narrow it down to my top 10 of the year…

10. Of an Age (out Mar 23) feels like an Australian version of Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning Moonlight. Mostly set in 1999, it's centred on a 17-year-old who meets his friend's gay brother and opens up about his own sexuality. Offering humour, romance and sorrow, it's my pick as the best Aussie film of 2023 (narrowly ahead of Talk to Me).

9. Living (out Mar 16) is an English remake of a 1952 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa (Ikiru). It's the tale of a dull, humourless, London Council bureaucrat who, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, takes time away from work and embraces new activities. It would be easy to overplay the role but Bill Nighy, in his Oscar nominated role, is near-perfect as he extracts just the right dose of sympathy from audiences.

8. Godland (out Aug 17) is an Icelandic 19th Century drama about a Danish priest tasked with building a new church in Iceland. Director Hlynur Pálmason does a terrific job capturing the bleak, isolated setting (you really feel it) and creating interesting characters.

7. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (out Mar 9) is an Oscar nominated documentary about the life of artist Nan Goldin and her efforts to draw attention to opioid addiction. Relying as much on photography as it does video, Goldin is a fascinating individual for whom no subject is off limits.

6. Past Lives (out Aug 31) is a sensational romantic drama which highlights both the simplicity and complexity of the human condition. First-time writer-director Celine Song enhances the already great material with a brilliant cast, a beautiful film score, and the use of long, unedited takes during key conversations.

5. Tár (out Jan 26) is an engrossing drama about a renowned, EGOT-winning musician/conductor. She's relied on hard work and talent to earn her success but her arrogance and other behind-the-scenes weaknesses threaten to upend her career. Cate Blanchett turns in one of the most memorable performances of the past year. The ending is pitch perfect.

4. Saltburn (out Nov 16) rattles and entertains. The story revolves around a socially inept, first-year student at Oxford (Barry Keoghan) who weaves his way into the home of a very wealthy family. It’s power games aplenty as characters use their smarts and sexual appetites to try to get the upper hand over others. Great performances plus outlandish moments equals a terrific film.

3. Oppenheimer (out Jul 20) will be spoken about for a long time.  Representing a slight pivot for Christopher Nolan (better known for action-thrillers), it’s a brilliant biopic about the American scientist credited with inventing the atom bomb in the 1940s. The editing sets a frenetic pace, the music is intense, and Cillian Murphy’s lead performance is extraordinary. It’s rare for a biopic to capture so many competing angles of a single individual.

2. Aftersun (out Feb 23) is both uplifting and soul destroying. A simple, subtle, powerful drama about a 30-year-old woman who, through a mix of memory and old home movies, deeply reflects on a Turkish holiday she shared with her father 20 years earlier. Paul Mescal earned an Oscar nomination for his lead role and this isn’t a film you’ll easily forget.

1. Close (out Feb 16) is a Belgian drama about two 13-year-old boys who, despite being long-time friends, start drifting apart after starting high school. This is an incredible film! The documentary-like feel adds authenticity, the cinematography is stunning, and the music is haunting. Above all else though, Close achieves its emotional power because of two of the finest performances I've ever seen from child actors.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 December 2023

Migration is the big family-orientated flick being release on Boxing Day here in Australia and I recently spoke to the director, Benjamin Renner (Ernest & Celestine), about the project…

Matt:  It’s the summer school holidays here in Australia which is always a big time for parents taking kids to the movies.  What do you look for in a great family movie?

Benjamin:  I always hope families are going to have fun and that was our goal here.  We wanted people to relate to these characters and come out of the theatre going “oh, that’s you” and “that’s me”.  We also wanted to share this idea of reuniting a family and teaching them lessons about getting out of you comfort zone and confront the challenges of life. 

Matt:  I do like a theme of this movie about getting out there are seeing the world.  These Mallards don’t have to worry about a huge mortgage but it’s still good advice to live one’s life by.  Is it a mantra you two subscribe in?

Benjamin:  Yeah, definitely.  Mallards actually have way more problems that we do in terms of quality of life.  The idea came from my producer who read an article about Mallards who, because winters are getting warmer and warmer, don’t need to go on migration any more.  Some of them decide to stay home.  The idea of being stuck in a routine is very relatable and we all go through it at some point in our life.  I’m important to travel and discover new things and open yourself to the world – it’s something we wanted to share in the movie.

Matt:  Mike White is one of the co-writers here who I’ve admired going back to his work on Enlightened.  He has a great, warped sense of humour and I was wondering if you had much to do with him in creating the film?

Benjamin:  He had written the script with my producer before I arrived on the project.  When I came in, he’d already spent a year on it.  I met him a few times and we discussed what he wanted to express so I could understand what the characters were feeling.  Unfortunately, he had to go shoot The White Lotus so I couldn’t have him through the whole production of the film.  That was a big disappointment but I also wanted him to do The White Lotus.

The biggest challenge was remaining faithful to the script and what he wanted to express.  Also, since the idea came from the producer, we were also able to bring new ideas along the way to make it even better.

Matt:  It’s a great cast.  Did you have any idea of the voice of each character before setting out or was it something that evolved?

Benjamin:  Some of them, yeah.  It was early in the process of the movie.  Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks – I heard about them 3-4 weeks after I started working on the project and they were perfect for the roles.  They matched with the character in the sense that they have a similar spirit to the character.  Kumail could understand what it’s like to struggle to get out of one’s comfortable zone and Elizabeth was the same with someone who loves to take new risks.

It was really fun having the chance to work with those people.  They owned the characters so we could let the script evolve depending on what they could bring to the role.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 16 November 2023

A flood of Australian movies as been arriving in cinemas (just in time for AACTA Award voting) and the latest is The Royal Hotel from director Kitty Green.  I recently had the chance to speak to Kitty about the interesting project…

Matt:  The screenplay is accredited to you and another Aussie, Oscar Redding. How did the idea come about and what was the process between you two in putting it all on paper?

Kitty:  I had originally seen a documentary called Hotel Coolgardie which is about two Scandinavian backpackers working in an outback pub.  I was struck by the movie and thought it was an interesting documentary.  I then got to work on adapting it into a fictional film.

Matt:  Anyone who has travelled to outback Australia will know of pubs and people like we see in the film. Where did you end up shooting it?

Kitty:  We shot in South Australia – a few hours north of Adelaide in a little town called Yatina which is home to 29 people.  We took over that town.  It was hard to get a real pub to shut down for a few weeks so we used a studio in Adelaide to build the interior of the pub and take over that space. 

Matt:  Was it the kind of movie where you can get the locals to help out?  Did any of the 29 people in the town get involved?

Kitty:  There’s definitely some Yatina residents in the movie.  The owner of the pub makes a few cameos so that was exciting for him.

Matt:  I love it when films have a great opening shot and here you have a cracker - thinking we’re in some kind of nightclub when that’s not really the case. How did that evolve?

Kitty:  We wanted to show a good, fun Sydney vacation.  The idea is that it’s the kind of trip where you spend a lot of time in dark nightclubs and you’re not experiencing the country as much as you would if you went further out.  Once they leave the nightclub, you realise it’s on a moving boat in Sydney Harbour and it was a lot of fun to shoot out there.  We did want to make a point that’s not the real Australia and the real Australian experience.

Matt:  I am a big fan of Julia Garner and you’ve worked with her before. From your perspective as a director, what is it that makes her so damn good?

Kitty:  She’s electric.  You put her in front of a camera and the camera loves her.  She’s got a really interesting face.  She can do very little with her face and still be expressive and understand what the character is going through.  She’s also lovely to work with.  We get along and it’s really fun.

Matt:  I’m sure she’d get a few scripts thrown her way.  What was it that attracted her so much to the role?

Kitty:  We’d worked together before on The Assistant which was key and the idea of working together again was exciting.  Also, I don’t believe she’d been to Australia before and she was keen on the travel and adventure side of it.

Matt:  Garner plays the role of Hannah and Jessica Henwick plays Liv. They’re both gifted actors and so I was curious to know if you always saw it that way or whether there was any thought to flipping their characters?

Kitty:  I was attracted to the documentary, and I thought Julia could play the lead role.  I got the script to her and that was great first up.  It was then about casting her best friend and that was more of a challenge to find who would fit in and get along with us in making it a trio.  We found Jess who was wonderful and it really worked out.

Matt:  I have to ask about Ursula Yovich who really does steal every scene she’s in. I’ll describe her as the pub’s no-nonsense matriarch. How did you see that character and Ursula fitting so perfectly into the role?

Kitty:  My co-writer, Oscar, had worked with Ursula on a theatrical show before and so we wrote the role for her.  We thought she’d be a good partner for Hugo Weaving’s character.  We needed someone who was so tired and sick of him, and wanted to cut and run.  The two of them worked so beautifully together and their relationship was really solid.

Matt:  I was going to ask about Hugo Weaving because he’s one of my favourite Aussie actors.  Was it an easy pitch for him?

Kitty:  I think I had to convince him as I needed to send a few emails.  He was great and kind.  He was kind of the captain of the ship who set the tone on the set and it was wonderful to have him there.

Matt:  You’ve had a chance to show this film to big international crowds, like at Telluride and Toronto, who perhaps aren’t as knowledgeable about this part of Australia. What was the reception like?

Kitty:  We got some good reviews in America but I don’t know if they got all the jokes.  They’re pretty serious and the Australian sense of humour doesn’t always translate.  It has played better here in Australia because I think out audiences naturally know who these people are and what this place is.

Matt:  What’s it been like being back in Australia and showing it to festival audiences here?

Kitty:  We opened a few film festivals which was fun with big audiences.  It was exciting to hear the laughter and then see that transition into discomfort and people wondering if they should be laughing or not.  We’ve had some good screenings.

Matt:  What’s coming up? What will we see from you next?

Kitty:  I’m not sure.  I’ve got to sit down and figure it out.  I’ve spent a lot of time finishing this one up and getting it into theatres.  I’ll take a week off and then think about what’s next.